By now, most everyone has heard the terms “sustainability” and “green” in reference to being environmentally conscious and responsible. Even still, a lot of people see green and sustainability like a new age environmentalist movement that doesn’t apply to them. Fortunately, most folks realize what green means and the importance of shifting our lives in that direction. For those who don’t, maybe a better definition will create a better understanding and urgency.

Sustainable green living has actually been practiced by certain groups and communities for a long long time. It’s remained a way of life for serious organic gardeners and even a few talented farmers. My grandpa’s farm was like that because that’s just the way it was back then. Natural methods did a better job of doing what all the harsh chemicals simply can’t do today.

Just as misunderstood, Xeriscaping or low water use landscaping, is a form of green or sustainable living. Xeriscaping principles are an efficient and conservative use of natural resources as well as natural control of insects, soil diseases, and weeds. And while the word “Xeriscaping” hasn’t been around all that long, the practice has been around for quite some time. Because of its extended use in dry desert climates, Xeriscaping is also often refered to as desert landscaping or Southwest landscaping.

While agriculture, gardening, and landscaping is only a small part of the green and sustainable lifestyle, it’s what comes to the mind of most people when you mention the words green, sustainable, or environmentally responsible. Green gardening and landscaping is a great place for most folks to start to get an understanding of what it’s all about. Green has become an important consideration in landscaping and garden and should be a part of all future design plans.

The “living green” movement is here to stay because the survival of this world depends on it. And while it may seem like a lot of trouble to some, it can actually make life easier and save you some money. And like I said, one of the easiest places to start is in your own landscape and garden so in the coming weeks we’ll look at that and then we’ll look at ways sustainable, green, and environmental responsibility can fit into the rest of our daily lives. See best green blogs and you should start to get an understanding of how big and important this way of life is.